En fuego...

I'd say I'm largely a glass is half full kind of person. (And no, I wasn't just referring to my wine glass! That's probably more often half empty... ;) )
As you know from last Friday's post, I celebrate little victories as they arise, am told I have "abundant enthusiasm" and have an ability to laugh at even the dopiest of things (a few commercials come to mind...). But this week has been a sobering one.

A world away, I can't help but feel devastated by the loss of life, nature and livelihood due to the bushfires ravaging Australia. Many Americans understand this devastation personally as California wildfires have become a common summer ocurance; no matter where we live, we sit with fingers crossed, waiting for the intense heat and unseemly winds to abate. If nature was simply running its course as it should, I would have a much more optimistic outlook. It's when criminal acts may be to blame I become absolutely unglued. I am my father's daughter - and as he says often, "I hate waste."

Certainly there is ample news coverage on the fires this week. But if you want a closer look at how the vintage has been impacted by the heat or how wineries are coping with the fires in particular, Decanter's done a nice job of covering the events.

If you find yourself sipping from the Australian cup often or are interested in the business of Aussie wines, a good resource for you is Winebiz.

For those of you who want to "(re)visit" Australia in a gesture of solidarity this weekend, pop into your local wine shop and ask them what's worth trying. If you're not a fruit-bomb lover, we've found a few treats on offer lately and have been lucky to rediscover a few other selections with just the right touch of age on them. See what you can find!

Will you grab an Aussie selection from your local's shelf this weekend?